The New York City Council just passed a bill to drop the city speed limits on residential streets to 25 MPH, from 30 MPH. Under the guise of protecting pedestrians, the New York City Council has diminished Freedom. While their goal is noble, the Council decision is Wrong. One Raphael Orlove thinks they're right.
America's largest and therefore Best city (which definitely has nothing to do with me living there) has a serious problem with its pedestrians. Mainly, they keep dying for some reason.
Well, not for "some reason." The reason is that they keep getting hit by cars, with fatalities shooting up 15% over the past few years. To combat that statistic, Mayor Bill, son of Blasio, has launched his "Vision Zero" campaign in the hopes of eliminating pedestrian deaths altogether.
And that's great. Really, it is. But I don't think lowering the speed limit further is the answer. I think fixing the often lax enforcement of already-existing traffic laws is a better tool in law enforcement's arsenal.
Raphael Orlove, my esteemed colleague, disagrees with me. At one point, I'm pretty sure he even said that a speed limit of 5, yes 5, would be ideal.
Raphael Orlove is wrong.
So he's joining me here in the comments to hash it out.
And so, a debate. Jalopnik style.
Photo credit: joiseyshowaa